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Apollo
In Greek mythology, Apollo (Greek: Απολλων, Apollon) is the Olympian god of music, poetry, archery, healing, medicine, plague, disease, prophecy, oracles, light, the sun, knowledge, truth, and the protection of the young. Apollo is also the patron god of the Oracle of Delphi. His sacred attributes include a laurel wreath, a bow and quiver of arrows, a raven, a lyre, a swan, larkspur, and cypress. Apollo is equated with Horus in Egyptian mythology and Aplu in Etruscan mythology. Mythology Birth When Hera discovered that Leto was pregnant with Zeus' children, she banned Leto from giving birth on any firm land. Because of this, Leto had to wander the earth trying to find a place to rest and give birth. During her wanderings, she was threatened by Tityos, who attempted to rape her, and Python. Eventually, Leto found the barren and floating island of Delos, which was actually her transformed sister Asteria. It was on this island, under the shade of a palm tree, where Leto gave birth to her twins, Apollo and Artemis. Artemis was born without causing her mother pain. However, Leto struggled for nine days and nights to give birth to Apollo. Many goddesses were also on Delos to aid Leto in her birth, including Dione, Rhea, Themis, and Amphitrite. After her own birth, Artemis assisted her mother in giving birth to her brother, Apollo. After Apollo and Artemis were born, they returned to kill Tityos and Python who had threatened their mother while she was searching for a place to give birth. Apollo gained fame by his slaying of Python, which lived in Delphi beside the Castalian Spring. This spring emitted vapors that caused the oracle to give her prophecies. Hermes Hermes was born on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. His mother, Maia, had been secretly impregnated by Zeus. After his birth, Maia wrapped the infant in blankets but he escaped while she was asleep. Hermes escaped to Thessaly where Apollo had his cattle grazing. The infant stole several of Apollow's cows and took them to a cave in the woods near Pylos, covering their tracks so Apollo couldn't find them. In the cave, he killed a tortoise and removed its insides. He killed one of the cows and used its intestines and the tortoise shell to make a lyre. After realizing what Hermes had done, Apollo complained to Maia that her son had stolen his cattle but Hermes had already returned to his mother so she refused to believe his claim. Zeus intervened and, having seen the events, sided with Apollo. Hermes then began to play music on the lyre and Apollo, the god of music, fell in love with the instrument and offered to exchange his cattle for the lyre, an offer which Hermes accepted. Trojan War Apollo shot arrows infected with the plague into the Greek encampment during the Trojan War in retribution for Agamemnon's insult to Chryses, a priest of Apollo whose daughter Chryseis had been captured. He demanded her return and the Achaeans complied, indirectling causing the anger of Achilles. When Diomedes injured Aeneas, Apollo rescued him. First, Aphrodite tried to rescue Aeneas but Diomedes injured her as well. Aeneas was then enveloped in a cloud by Apollo, who took him to Pergamos, a sacred place in Troy. Apollo also aided Paris in the killing of Achilles by guiding the arrow of his bow into Achilles' heel. This was as revenge for Achilles' sacrilege in murdering Troilus on Apollo's own temple. Niobe Niobe was a mortal queen of Thebes who boasted of her superiority to Leto because she had fourteen children while Leto only had two. When Artemis and Apollo heard this impiety, Apollo killed her seven sons and Artemis killed her seven daughters. The twin gods used poisoned arrows to kill the children. A devastated Niobe was transfroemd to stone as she wept. Pan Pan once had the audacity to compare his musical ability with that of Apollo and to challenge the god of music to a trial of skill. Tmolus was chosen to judge the contest. Pan blew on his pipes and, with his rustic melody, gave great satisfaction to himself and his faithful follower, Midas. Apollo then struck the strings of his lyre and Tmolus, at once, awarded the victory to Apollo and all but Midas agreed with the judgment. He dissented and questioned the justice of the award, so Apollo turned his ears into those of a donkey. Marsyas Marsyas was a satyr who challenged Apollo to a music contest. He had found an aulos on the ground, tossed away after being invented by Athena because it made her cheeks puffy. The contest between the two was judged by the Muses. After each of the men performed, both were deemed equal until Apollo decreed that they play and sing at the same time. As Apollo played the lyre, this was easy to do. Marsyas could not do this as his instrument required the use of his mouth. Apollo was then declared the winner because of this and he flayed Marsyas alive in a cave for his hubris to challenge a god. He then nailed Marsyas' shaggy skin to a nearby pine tree. Admetus When Zeus struck down Apollo's son Asclepius with a lightning bolt for resurrecting Hippolytus from the dead, Apollo in revenge killed the Cyclopes, who had fashioned the bolt for Zeus. Apollo would have been banished to Tartarus forever for this, but was instead sentenced to one year of hard labor due to the intercession of his mother, Leto. During this time, he served as shepherd for King Admetus of Pherae in Thessaly. Admetus treated Apollo well, and, in return, the god conferred great benefits on Admetus. Apollo helped Admetus win Alcestis, the daughter of King Pelias and later convinced the Moirai to let Admetus live past his time if another took his place. But when it came time for Admetus to die, his parents, whom he had assumed would gladly die for him, refused to cooperate. Instead, Alcestis took his place but Heracles managed to persuade thanatos, the god of death, to return her to the world of the living. Clytemnestra Clytemnestra was a mortal woman who killed her husband, Agamemnon, because he had sacrificed their daughter Iphigenia to proceed forward with the Trojan War and Cassandra, a prophetess of Apollo. Apollo then ordered Orestes, Agamemnon's son, to killed Clytemnestra nad Aegisthus, her lover. Orestes carries out the murder and was pursued by the Erinyes for his crime. Apollo and the Erinyes argue about whether the matricide was justified; Apollo held that the bond of marriage is sacred and Orestes was avenging his father, whereas the Erinyes said that the bond between mother and son is more meaningful than the bond of marriage. They invade his temple and he says that the matter should be brought to Athena. Apollo promised to protect Orestes and advocate Orestes at the trial. Athena ultimately rules in favor of Apollo. Affairs Daphne Apollo chaffed Eros for toying with a weapon more suited to a man, whereupon Eros wounds him with a golden arrow; simultaneously, Eros shot a leaden arrow into Daphne, a nymph and daughter of the river god Peneus, causing her to be repulsed by Apollo. Following a spirited chase by Apollo, Daphne prayed to her father for help and he transformed her into a laurel tree. Leucothea Leucothea was a daughter of Orchamus and sister of Clytia who fell in love with Apollo. Apollo disguised himself as Leucothea's mother to gain entrance to her chambers. Clytia, jealous of her sister because she wanted Apollo for herself, told Orchamus the truth, betraying her sister' strust and confidence in her. Enraged, Orchamus ordered Leucothea to be buried alive. Apollo refused to forgive Clytia for betraying his beloved and a grieving Clytia wilted and slowly died. Apollo transformed her into an incense plant, which follows the sun every day. Marpessa Marpessa was kidnapped by Idas but was loved by Apollo as well. Zeus made her choose between the two and she chose Idas on the grounds that Apollo, being immortal, would tire of her when she grew old. Castalia Castalia was a nymph whom Apollo loved. She fled from him and dove into the spring at Delphi, which was then named after her. Hecuba Hecuba was the wife of King Priam of Troy and Apollo had a son with her named Troilus. An oracle told that Troy would not be defeated as long as Troilus reached the age of twenty. He was ambushed and killed by Achilles. Cassandra Cassandra was the daughter of Priam and Hecuba and the half-sister of Troilus. Apollo fell in love with her and promised her the gift of prophecy to seduce her, but she rejected him after getting the gift. Enraged, Apollo cursed her so that she could only see future tragedies and nobody would ever believe her. Coronis Coronis was a daughter of King Phlegyas of the Lapiths. Pregnant with her son, Coronis fell in love with Ischys. A crow informed Apollo of the affair, at which he first didn't believe. As punishment for the lie Apollo thought the crow was telling, he turned all crows black (as they were previously white). When he found out hte truth, Apollo sent Artemis to kill Coronis. As a result, he made the crow sacred and gave them the task fo announcing important deaths. Apollo rescued his son from Coronis and gave him to Chiron to raise. Phlegyas was irate after the death of his daughter and burned the temple of Apollo at Delphi. Apollo then killed him for what he did. Hyacinthus Hyacinthus was a male lover of Apollo. He was a Spartan prince who was killed when Apollo and him were playing discus. The jealous Zephyrus was also in love with Hyacinthus and caused the discus to be blown into Hyacinthus' head, killing him. Filled with grief, Apollo caused the hyacinth to grow from the blood. Cyparissus Cyparissus was another male lover of Apollo. Apollo gave him a tame deer as his companion but Cyparissus accidentally killed it with a javelin. Cyparissus asked Apollo to let his tears flow forever, which Apollo granted by turning him into the cypress. Family Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto and is the twin brother of Artemis. He has had several children with several different goddesses and mortal women, including: Epithets *''Acesius'' (Greek: Ἀκέσιος, Akesios, "healing") *''Acestor'' (Greek: Ἀκέστωρ, Akestor, "healer") *''Acraephius'' (Greek: Ἀκραίφιος, Akraiphios, "Acraephian") *''Actiacus'' (Greek: Ἄκτιακός, Aktiakos, "Actian") *''Aegletes'' (Greek: Αἰγλήτης, Aigletes, "light of the sun") *''Agyieus'' (Greek: Ἀγυιεύς, Aguieus, "street") as the protector of roads and homes *''Alexicacus'' (Greek: Ἀλεξίκακος, Alexikakos, "warding off evil") *''Aphetor'' (Greek: Ἀφήτωρ, "to let loose") *''Aphetorus'' (Greek: Ἀφητόρος, Aphetoros, "to let loose") *''Apotropaeus'' (Greek: Ἀποτρόπαιος, Apotropaios) *''Archegetes'' (Greek: Ἀρχηγέτης, Arkhegetes, "founder") *''Argyrotoxus'' (Greek: Ἀργυρότοξος, Argyrotoxos, "with silver bow") *''Clarius'' (Greek: Κλάριος, Klarios, "allotted lot") *''Cynthius'' (Greek: Κύνθιος, Kunthios, "Cynthian") since he was born on Mount Cynthus *''Cynthogenes'' (Greek: Κυνθογενής, Kynthogenes, "born of Cynthus") since he was born on Mount Cynthus *''Delios'' (Greek: Δήλιος, "Delian") since he was born on Delos *''Delphinius'' (Greek: Δελφίνιος, Delphinios, "Delphic") *''Didymaeus'' (Greek: Διδυμαῖος, Didymaios, "twin") since he is a twin *''Epicurius'' (Greek: Ἐπικούριος, Epikourios) *''Genetor'' (Greek: Γενέτωρ, "ancestor") *''Hecaergus'' (Greek: Ἑκάεργος, Hekaergos, "far-shooting") *''Hecebolus'' (Greek: Ἑκηβόλος, Hekebolos, "far-shooting") *''Helios'' (Greek: Ἥλιος, "sun") *''Iatromantis'' (Greek: Ἰατρομάντις) as the god of healing and prophecy *''Iatrus'' (Greek: Ἰατρός, Iatros, "physician") *''Ismenius'' (Greek: Ἰσμηνιός, Ismenios, "of Ismenus") *''Leschenorius'' (Greek: Λεσχηνόριος, Leskhenorios, "converser") *''Loxias'' (Greek: Λοξίας) *''Lycegenes'' (Greek: Λυκηγενής, Lukegenes, "born of a wolf" or "born of Lycia) *''Lyceus'' (Greek: Λύκειος, Lykeios, "light") *''Lycoctonus'' (Greek: Λυκοκτόνος, Lykoktonos) *''Manticus'' (Greek: Μαντικός, Mantikos, "prophetic") *''Musagetes'' (Greek: Μουσαγέτας, Mousagetas) as the leader of the Muses. *''Nomius'' (Greek: Νόμιος, Nomios, "pastoral") *''Nymphegetes'' (Greek: Νυμφηγέτης, Numphegetes) as the protector of shepherds and pastoral life *''Paean'' (Greek: Παιάν, Paian, "physician" or "healer") *''Parnopius'' (Greek: Παρνόπιος, Parnopios, "locust") *''Phanaeus'' (Greek: Φαναῖος, Phanaios, "giving light" or "bringing light") *''Phoebus'' (Greek: Φοῖβος, Phoibos, "bright") *''Pythius'' (Greek: Πύθιος, Puthios) *''Smintheus'' (Greek: Σμινθεύς, "Sminthian") Category:Greek mythology Category:Greek deities Category:Greek gods